More Help than Laritate
by Swiftchanted
Summary: Alex was more help than Laritate any day.


**So I wrote this simple little oneshot in honor of STEVIE RETURNING ON WIZARDS! (Yes, it _IS _official, not a rumor.) I hope you liked it, and I don't know how AU this might be, but it just sort of came over me. Random ramblings. xD**

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><p>Stevie sat in the deserted hallway, her face buried in her hands, sobs erupting from her chest. The damn nerve kids had nowadays. Who did they think they were?<p>

Go to hell, dyke.

Those four simple words tore at her heart. Stevie Alyse Nichols didn't cry. No, tough, strong, rebellious, the full badass package, Stevie Nichols didn't cry. She had never cried. Never. It wasn't something she did.

When she was younger and wasn't as tomboyish, she would watch chick flicks with her friends. They'd sit there and sob their hearts out, moaning, "No, don't leave her!" whereas Stevie was sitting in the corner rolling her eyes at the ridiculousness.

She had been called a dyke before. It didn't bother her too much; she learned that if someone called her a carpet muncher or a dyke, or anything really, all you had to do was stab them where it hurt the most. And then they left you alone. She didn't know why this time around it hurt so badly. But she did. SHE had sat there, done nothing, while Stevie had fought back all it took to send those jackasses into nonexistence. She had finally given in, asked to go see Laritate, in her opinion, the last thing she would ever do, and had been excused. Did she go to Laritate? Not a damn chance.

Go to hell, dyke.

The words echoed over and over in her head, replaying like a broken record. With every passing second, the pain stabbed her with a tiny knife in the heart, the wound growing deeper and deeper.

She knew she was going to have to leave soon. It was just a given. Her heart was a clock; the deeper she fell in love, the sooner she was to die. The hourglass cliche if you will. That was her punishment. Fall in love with her, and die.

Neither of them could foresee the future. Neither of them could foresee Alex's using Stevie, killing her, and then saying Stevie didn't mean a thing to her. Had Stevie known, she wouldn't have fallen head over heels. But, none of us are psychic, so Stevie fell harder and harder with every passing day.

Go to hell, dyke.

It was unusual. No one dared to have the nerve to post a sign of any kind, much less that one on Stevie's back. But yet someone had. It was probably that blonde stuck up bitch who thought Stevie was a waste of space.

"Hey, are you alright?" a voice said from beside Stevie. Stevie jumped a bit and swiveled her head to see Alex sitting beside her, a sympathetic smile on her face. "I had a feeling you didn't go to Laritate's."

"Got that right. As if I'd go see him of all people."

"Don't worry, I know. You'd probably rather go see my brother." Alex noted, running her fingers through her hair. Stevie just nodded, sighing. Alex tilted her head in concern. "You okay?"

Stevie shook her head, exhaling in exasperation almost. "No, not exactly."

"Is it because of the sign thing?" Alex asked quietly. Stevie looked at Alex in horror. "It's cruel, it's bitchy, and it's downright disgusting. Why on earth someone would do that to you...it's unexplainable."

Stevie couldn't help but to lash out, her voice coated with pain as a tear rolled down her cheek. "But there had to be some explanation! Otherwise they wouldn't have done what they did! " Alex just laid a hand on Stevie's back.

"Stevie,"

"I mean, the idea didn't just come out of nowhere, you know, oh we should tape a sign to Stevie's back, blah blah blah, let's see how she takes it, no, they did it because they must obviously think that I'm...that!"

"Stevie."

"I mean, am I a dyke? Do I deserve to go to hell? Tell me Alex, because I really wanna know if what they say is true!"

Alex sighed in exasperation. "STEVIE SHUT UP!" Stevie went silent except for her ragged breathing. "Stevie, first off, why would you of all people let this one little thing affect you? You're bigger than that, stronger than that, my Stevie would never take that from anyone!"

Stevie was a bit stunned that Alex had called her her Stevie, but she just continued talking in hopes Alex wouldn't realize what she had said and would take it back. "It hurts though Alex...things like that, no matter how tough you are it still stings."

"Then don't let them get inside your head! Stevie you are so strong, determined, intelligent, beautiful, the last place you belong is hell. And as for the dyke thing, so what? You're not a dyke and you know it, so don't let others influence you." Alex said, brushing the blonde strip of Stevie's hair out of her eyes.

Using the back of her palm to wipe away her tears, Stevie smiled. "Thanks Alex...you were a lot more help than Laritate would've been."

"I thought we established that Laritate was no help to begin with and that you wouldn't go to him anyways!"

"Just saying," Stevie let out a little laugh as she leant her head back against the wall. Alex just nodded.

For a second there was an empty silence between the two. Then, without any warning, Alex leant forward, cupped Stevie's face with her hands and delicately kissed Stevie's cheek. Stevie could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins, as though her heart were pumping so fast it was about to explode. She was worried Alex was able to hear it, as Alex wrapped her delicate arms around Stevie's neck. She smelled like vanilla and oranges, it was intoxicating. Stevie hugged her back, trying to live in that one moment for as long as she possibly could. Alex pulled away and held out her hand to Stevie as she stood up. Stevie took it and was a bit shocked when Alex never let go of her hand.

"What are you doing?" Stevie asked as they walked back to the room, still hand in hand. Alex smirked.

"Giving something for your haters to talk about." Stevie grinned as she tightened her grip on Alex's dainty little hand.

"Sounds like a good plan, Russo. And push comes to shove, we'll both end up with go to hell signs on our backs."

"I'll be sure to frame mine so that one day I can laugh at them and say, Who's in hell now?'"

"One of the many reasons I love about you, Russo," Stevie mumbled as they continued walking, just low enough so Alex wouldn't hear it. But Alex heard and smiled to herself.

It was nice to finally know that Stevie loved her back.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading! Read&amp;Review :D<strong>


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